Multicylinder steam engine



July 30, 1940. A. A. G. MAGIS I MUL'IICYLINDER STEAM ENGINE Filed Jan. 24, 1939 Mai/s,

ATTORNEY Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTICYLINDER STEAM ENGINE Application January 24, 1939, Serial No. 252,552 In France February 26, 1938 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in steam engines and particularly to engines having a plurality of cylinders.

In carrying out the invention the engine is provided with a number of' piston cylinders arranged in several rows extending longitudinally bodiment of the invention when read in conjuncof its axis with the rows spaced circumferentially about a common steam admission chamber as will best be understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of an illustrative emtion with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a schematic view of a multicylinder steam engine according to the invention and illustrates the arrangement of the cylinders in several rows along the axis of the engine; and

Fig. 2 is an end view of the engine, partly broken away and with some parts shown in section to illustrate details of the construction.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the engine comprises three rows of cylinders, each row including several cylinders arranged along the longitudinal axis of the engine with the cylinders I, 2 and 3 of the respective rows spaced circumferentially about the axis of the engine. Located centrally between the several rows of cylinders is a steam chamber 4 to which the jackets 5 of the cylinders are attached.

Inasmuch as the construction of the cylinders is similar, only one cylinder is shown in detail. The cylinder body 6 is mounted within the jacket 5 and at its upper end is a steam admission valve 1 constituting substantially the entire end of the cylinder. The valve 1 controls the admission of steam from chamber 4 to the interior of the cylinder and a sleeve valve 8 mounted between the cylinder body and jacket 5 controls the exhaust of steam from the escape ports II] to the discharge pipe I l. The sleeve valve 8 is operated by a crank l2 and pitman [3 from the shaft M which is driven by the piston l5 through the pitman l6 and crank l1. Attached to the valve 1 is a stirrup 2D guided at 2| in the wall of chamber 4 and provided with one or more rollers 22 engageable by a cam 23 for opening the valve 1. The cams 22 for the several sets of cylinders are carried by a cam shaft 24 extending longitudinally through the steam chamber 4. The several shafts M, Ma and l4b' which are operated by the cylinders constituting the several rows may be suitably interconnected to operate a single power take-off shaft. As illustrated by way of example these shafts are connected by chain and sprocket drives 25 to a shaft 26 constituting a power takeoff shaft. The shaft 26 may be co-axial with the cam shaft 24. The power shaft 26 may also be arranged to constitute the cam shaft 24. In such case it is obvious that the cam shaft 24 is driven in synchronism with the piston operated shafts M, Ma, Mb; in any event, suitable operating connections are provided between at least one of the piston operated shafts l4, l la or lb and the cam shaft 24 for actuating the latter.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention as 10 described above. 'be arranged in any number (above one) of circumferentially spaced rows. Some rows of cylinders may be arranged opposite others if desired and the spacings may or may not be symmetrical as desired. However, in arranging the cylinders in several circumferentially spaced rows the cylinders forming each row must be spaced longitudinally of the engine an extent sufficient to prevent interference between the steam'admis- 0 sion valve operating mechanism of a cylinder in one row and that for a cylinder in another row.

What I claim is:

1. A multicylinder steam engine comprising a plurality of piston cylinders disposed along the longitudinal axis of the engine and spaced circumferentially about said axis; a steam admission chamber common to said cylinders extending along said axis of the engine and located centrally between said cylinders; individual valves for controlling the supply of steam from said chamber to each of said cylinders; said valves being located at the ends of said cylinders adjacent said chamber; individual exhaust passages and related valves for said cylinders; a shaft extending longitudinally of the engine within said chamber and provided with cams individual to said steam admission valves for operating the latter; and means for operating said shaft.

2. A multicylinder steam engine comprising, a plurality of piston cylinders arranged in several rows extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine with the cylinders forming eachrovrspaced circumferentially about said axis with respect to the cylinders of other rows; a steam admission chamber extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine and located centrally between said rows of cylinders for supplying steam to at least one cylinder in each of said rows; individual valves for controlling the supply of steam from said chamber to each of said cylinders, said valves being located at the ends of said cylinders adjacent said chamber; individual exhaust passages and related valves for said cylinders; a shaft extending longitudinally through said M For example, the'cylinders may chamber and provided with cams individual to said steam admission valves for operating the latter; and means for operating said shaft.

3. A multicylinder steam engine comprising, a plurality of piston cylinders arranged in several rows extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine with the cylinders forming each row spaced circumferentially about said axis with respect to the cylinders of other rows; a steam admission chamber extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine and located centrally between said rows of cylinders for supplying steam to at least one cylinder in each of said row; individual valves for controlling the supply of steam from said chamber to each of said cylinders, said valves being located at the ends of said cylinders adjacent said chamber; individual exhaust passages and related valves for said cylinders; a shaft extending longitudinally through said chamber and provided with cams individual to said steam admission valves for operating the latter; pistons in said cylinders; shafts indi vidual to each row of cylinders and operatively connected to the pistons thereof; and means operatively connecting at least one of said last mentioned shafts to said cam shaft for actuating the latter.

4. A multicylinder steam engine comprising a plurality of piston cylinders arranged in several rows extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine with the cylinders forming each row spaced circumferentially about said axis with respect to the cylinders of other rows; a steam admission chamber extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine and located centrally between said rows of cylinders for supplying steam to at least one cylinder in each of said rows; individual valves for controlling the supply of steam from said chamber to each of said cylinders, said valves being located at the ends of said cylinders adjacent said chamber; individual exhaust passages and related valves for said cylinders; a shaft extending longitudinally through said chamber and provided with cams individual to said steam admission valves for operating the latter; pistons in said cylinders; shafts individual to each row of cylinders and operatively connected to the pistons thereof; a driven shaft alined with said cam shaft; and means operatively connecting each of said piston operated shafts to said driven shaft for actuating the latter.

5. A multicylinder steam engine comprising; a plurality of piston cylinders arranged in several rows extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine with the cylinders forming each row spaced circumferentially about said axis with respace to the cylinders of other rows; a steam admission chamber extending along the longitudinal axis of the engine and located centrally between said rows of cylinders for supplying steam to at least one cylinder in each of said rows; individual valves for controlling the supply of steam from said chamber to each of said cylinders, said valves being located at the ends of said cylinders adjacent said chambers; individual exhaust passages and related valves for said cylinders; a shaft extending longitudinally through said chamber and provided with cams individual to said steam admission valves for operating the latter; pistons in said cylinders; shafts individual to each row of cylinders and operatively connected to the pistons thereof; and means operatively connecting each of said last mentioned shafts to said cam carrying shaft for actuating the latter.

AUGUSTE ADELIN GUSTAVE MAGIS. 

